GRAZ, Austria — December 16, 2020 — International technology Group ANDRITZ and Suominen, a global manufacturer of innovative and sustainable nonwovens, have been working together successfully as business partners for the past few years.
Andritz has supplied and upgraded several spunlace lines and most recently supplied a Wetlace™ line for production of high-quality products such as flushable wipes, baby wipes, personal care and household wipes, thus supporting Suominen in reaching its goal to be the frontrunner in nonwovens innovation and sustainability.
Over the years, Suominen has developed its production improvement plans and identified important optimization potentials. Suominen has upgraded several machines and lines to a higher performance level and decided to retrofit some of their existing spunlace lines in collaboration with Andritz.
This enables Suominen to maintain its excellent performance in production and the highest product quality that is key in the ever more demanding nonwovens market. Most recently, Suominen and Andritz signed a service agreement for Metris Remote Assistance, which allows the Suominen equipment operators to have full online support from the Andritz process experts.
Andritz and Suominen also work closely together in R&D at the Andritz technical centers, which host a spunlace line on industrial scale and a wetlaid pilot line. All this supports Suominen in further developing new products and meeting future demands in terms of sustainability.
Petri Helsky, president and CEO of Suominen, said: “Andritz has been supporting us for years with our developments, allowing us to offer our customers some of the most competitive and highest quality products in the world. Andritz also provides Suominen with first-class service, which enables us to produce sustainable nonwovens for our customers.”
Andreas Lukas, senior vice president and division manager, Andritz Nonwoven, said: “Suominen is one of the world’s largest suppliers of wipe roll goods. We are proud to contribute to new generations of wipes together with Suominen. Suominen renews its trust in Andritz continuously. Our worldwide service organization assists Suominen by providing original spare parts and process support to maintain their production lines”.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — December 9, 2020 — Rush & Company has named Kimber McFadden vice president of Nonwovens and Industrial Textiles. Since joining Rush & Company in 2012, McFadden has dedicated her work to finding successful candidates for clients in the textiles and nonwovens industry. McFadden transitioned to the recruitment field from a successful career in real estate. Her work creating and managing sales teams has lent itself to her success with Rush & Company.
McFadden credits much of her success in partnering clients with talented potential employees to her targeted network. “Finding the best talent is so much more successful with a niche recruiter” according to Kimber, and her results prove her point. Kimber’s success at navigating the turbulence of the pandemic showed her potential for the leadership position. She has found the transition to virtual recruiting and remote work to be very helpful in finding the best candidate. As McFadden has explained, Zoom is a “tremendous tool” and companies with flexibility regarding virtual work have the best options in the job pool.
The South Carolina native received a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of South Carolina. Having grown up on the coast, Kimber loves spending time on or by the water. She also loves traveling, and eagerly awaits the opportunity to see new places once again.
President Rick Rush welcomes Kimber to her new position and looks forward to seeing her success in the years to come. “Kimber has been a tremendous addition to Rush & Company, going back close to a decade. She has been instrumental in building our Nonwoven and Industrial Business and it is safe to say that she is the principal Search Consultant across the country in this sector. She has become a critical resource to Industry Leaders in helping them source the best talent solutions to drive their business forward. We are very fortunate to have her as part of our team.”
Rush & Company prioritized hiring from within since McFadden has gone above and beyond to show her dedication and skills. They cover every aspect of Textiles and Soft Goods, and every discipline within the industry. For media inquiries and more information, contact Deja Knight at the email address or phone number above.
Universal Gray, one of Pantone’s two colors of the year for 2021
CARLSTADT, N.J – December 10, 2020 – Pantone, a provider of professional color language standards and digital solutions for the design community, today announced PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, as the Pantone® Color of the Year selection for 2021 — two independent colors that come together to create an aspirational color pairing, conjoining deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the optimistic promise of a sunshine filled day.
Pantone’s Illuminating yellow, the second color of the year
As people look for ways to fortify themselves with energy, clarity and hope to overcome the continuing uncertainty, spirited and emboldening shades satisfy our quest for vitality. Illuminating is a bright and cheerful yellow sparkling with vivacity, a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power. Ultimate Gray is emblematic of solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation. The colors of pebbles on the beach and natural elements whose weathered appearance highlights an ability to stand the test of time, Ultimate Gray quietly assures, encouraging feelings of composure, steadiness and resilience.
“The selection of two independent colors highlight how different elements come together to express a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting, conveying the idea that it’s not about one color or one person, it’s about more than one. The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted, this is essential to the human spirit.”
“The Pantone Color of the Year reflects what is taking place in our global culture, expressing what people are looking for that color can hope to answer.” added Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “As society continues to recognize color as a critical form of communication, and a way to symbolize thoughts and ideas, many designers and brands are embracing the language of color to engage and connect.”
Usage
A marriage of strength and optimism, Ultimate Gray and Illuminating do not have to be used in equal proportions, either color can take precedence whether for apparel, beauty, home furnishings, product design or packaging.
Ultimate Gray and Illuminating in Apparel and Fashion Accessories
Illuminating punctuated by a touch of Ultimate Gray conveys a message of sunshine and strength. Enduring Ultimate Gray provides a great bouncing off point with Illuminating bringing in some brightness by way of a scarf, footwear, handbag, shawl, tops. With its energetic presence the marriage of Ultimate Gray and Illuminating are a great combination for activewear. The high visibility contrast of Illuminating and Ultimate Gray adds to its appeal for outerwear
Ultimate Gray and Illuminating in Beauty
A mix of warm and cool tones, combining Ultimate Gray and Illuminating in hair or nail makes a dramatic statement. Illuminating sparkles and shimmers when paired with Ultimate Gray in eye make-up.
Ultimate Gray and Illuminating in Home Decor
Ultimate Gray and Illuminating are a great combination to set the mood in any room in the home adding a dose of sunshine and positivity. Juxtaposing Illuminating with Ultimate Gray in table linens, sheeting and home accessories including pillows and tabletop infuses vitality and liveliness. Painting a front door in bright yellow Illuminating conveys a warm and welcoming message when supported by solid and dependable Ultimate Gray in the exterior finishes. The ideal combination for any office whether in the home or in a commercial space with Ultimate Gray providing the firm foundation for Illuminating, a vibrant yellow that heightens awareness and enhances intuition, lighting the way to the intellectual curiosity, originality, and resourcefulness of an open mind.
Ultimate Gray and Illuminating in Packaging and Multi-Media Design
Pairing Illuminating, the color of highest visibility and reflectivity with resilient Ultimate Gray produces a visually noticeable message no matter where it appears. The coupling of friendly Illuminating with quietly assuring Ultimate Gray infuses a message of vitality into a firm foundation of reliability, wisdom and experience for packaging and multi-media design.
Design with Ultimate Gray and Illuminating
Ultimate Gray and Illuminating are paired with versatile hues in a series of five palettes, available to designers as inspiration to incorporate into designs via the Pantone Connect digital color platform. Pantone Connect is available on mobile app and web, and as an extension app for Adobe® Creative Cloud® to make capturing, curating, and designing with Pantone Color easy and accessible. A featured Color of the Year page has all relevant color information for using Ultimate Gray and Illuminating across various physical and digital design media. Visit Pantone.com/connect.
ADOBE X PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR
Pantone has partnered with Adobe Stock to offer a handpicked Color of the Year collection of imagery to inspire creators and bring color to life. Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, Pantone’s choice for 2021, two independent colors highlight how different elements come together to express a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting, conveying the idea that it’s not about one color or one person, it’s about more than one. With millions of visual assets, from still photography and design templates to fresh 3D, motion graphics, and audio, Adobe Stock is an endless resource for creatives seeking visual inspiration and essential design components. https://stock.adobe.com
See the Adobe Stock/Pantone Ultimate Gray and Illuminating gallery here: https://adobe.ly/PantoneCoY2021
ARTECHOUSE X PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR
The nation’s first digital art destination, ARTECHOUSE creates innovative, one-of-a-kind technology driven exhibitions and installations, across the United States. Their New York space, located in a 100-year-old boiler room in Chelsea Market, will serve as the backdrop of our official Color of the Year 2021 digital announcement to media and influencers across design and creative industries. Inspired by the optimistic and enduring effects of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, Pantone collaborated with ARTECHOUSE and their creative team to produce a visually compelling social media reveal. ARTECHOUSE will further immerse people in the colors through a unique augmented reality experience launching in 2021.
The color selected as Pantone Color of the Year 2021 was taken from the Pantone Fashion, Home + Interiors Color System.
Schwarzenbach/Saale SCHWARZENBACH/SAALE — December 4, 2020 — Founded in May 2020, the Mask-Alliance Bavaria established a complete value chain for the manufacture of face masks in Germany. Futurus, the alliance’s latest development, has now been certified as an FFP2 protective mask. In December, production will start at alliance member Zettl Group’s plant in Weng, Bavaria.
Since the beginning of their cooperation, producing mouth-nose protection masks, the founding members of the Mask-Alliance Bavaria — PIA Automation (automation specialist from Amberg), Sandler Group (manufacturer of high-tech nonwovens from Schwarzenbach/Saale) and Zettl Group (leading supplier in the field of automotive interiors) — had been working to produce certified FFP2 masks in Bavaria, which can protect the wearer from infection.
On December 3rd, Jörg-Timm Kilisch, managing director of DEKRA Testing and Certification GmbH, officially presented the certificate at the Zettl Group company site in Weng, Landshut district. Hubert Aiwanger, deputy Prime Minister and minister of Economic Affairs of the State of Bavaria, and Thorsten Glauber, Bavarian minister for the Environment and Consumer Protection, were also personally on site. The Bavarian Ministry of Consumer Protection has a special role to play in the wake of the pandemic, as it is home to the Central Office of the German Federal States for Safety Technology (ZLS) and is thus responsible, among other things, for the approval of safety equipment such as protective masks across the federal states. Both ministers congratulated and acknowledged the managing directors and board members of the founding members, as well as representatives of the new alliance partners Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich and Bayern Innovativ GmbH.
FFP2 or FFP3 masks are particularly recommended as personal protective equipment for healthcare workers who are exposed to an increased risk of infection in their work. The quality of the filter medium, the mask design, the fit and the available filter area are decisive for the classification of the product. In joint development work and close cooperation with the new association member DEKRA, the certification process was successfully completed at the end of October.
The fully automated production lines in Weng will now produce up to 6 million Futurus masks per month. An expansion of the production capacity to up to 10 million masks per month is already being planned. The Mask-Alliance Bavaria is thus expanding its contribution to securing the supply of these important medical products.
WESTLAKE, Ohio — December 15, 2020 — MMI Textiles Inc. — a global diversified supplier of industrial and custom fabrics and textile components with military, tactical, medical, commercial and apparel expertise — has announced a major expansion of its operations. MMI will open a 30,000-square-foot production facility in North Carolina to begin producing select narrow fabrics during the first quarter of 2021.
The new facility in Lenoir, NC will be focused on manufacturing and printing narrow fabrics, including a full line of mil-spec webbing and binding tape products. The main driver behind the new operation is MMI’s CTEdge® Printed Narrow Fabrics that use patented technology to give the border of webbing and binding tape a more concealed edge, because it is woven with different color threads that allow it to blend into the materials behind it. This product line has seen momentous growth over the last few years with sales on a global scale and multiple international distributors.
“Our new facility reflects MMI’s commitment to deliver the best quality products within the best possible lead times,” explained MMI President and Founder Amy Bircher. “In addition to the investment in a new manufacturing facility, new equipment and new personnel, we have aligned with Mikan Printing, our existing print partner, to ensure quality control and timely delivery.”
MMI will hire new staff and acquire new equipment in Lenoir to ensure better control of the manufacturing process for this line. The new facility will house both MMI Textiles’ new manufacturing facility and Mikan’s print facility under one roof. Mikan is one of the country’s most respected and innovative leaders in the textile printing industry.
“We believe this significant investment — especially at a time when businesses around the globe are being challenged as never before — demonstrates our agility as an always-on, end-to-end provider and producer of innovative customer solutions,” Bircher said.
The new MMI Textiles manufacturing and print facility will be integrated under one roof to ensure efficiencies and consistencies that are better aligned with the MMI Textile brand promise of unmatched service and innovation. All sales and customer service transactions will continue to be handled through existing channels.
MMI Textiles, a woman-owned business enterprise with over 23 years of experience, is a global supplier of industrial and custom fabrics and textile components to the diverse textile marketplace. From its headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, its newest operation in Lenoir, N.C., and its resource base of more than 250 suppliers, the company delivers innovative solutions from fabrics, webbing, binding tape, hook & loop, hardware, labels, and more.
Through its products and its solutions-focused services, MMI has become an end-to-end supplier to the commercial, outdoors, medical and military markets. It also oversees the production of its own stock and custom products — many of which are 100 percent domestically produced. An ISO 9001 certified company, MMI assures customers receive the best quality and expertise at all times.
NEW YORK CITY — December 15, 2020 — This holiday season is unique, and while we decide what to wear for our virtual celebrations, we all want to be comfortable and stylish with looks that will make us feel extra special this time of year. Aubrey Howard, a Cotton Incorporated trend forecaster, virtually sat down with fashion and lifestyle influencer Lexi Holden of @lexandthecity_, to discuss the brand’s outlook on how the current circumstances have affected what people purchase and provides a forecast of trends for the upcoming year.
As we look ahead at trends for 2021, Howard shares “since things have slowed down a little bit in everyday life, people are going back to basics and wearing the classics like T-shirts and jeans. I’m seeing a bit of updates and tweaks to these tried-and-true pieces, such as the addition of shoulder pads in a t-shirt for an exaggerated silhouette. This is also reflected in jeans, and while we’re all accustomed to the wide leg jeans and the skinny jeans, we’re now seeing the balloon silhouette.”
To look and feel good this holiday season, consumers are going for items that are practical. Howard shared that shoppers are making sure the pieces can be styled in different ways so that items can go a long way wearing-wise. Matching sets are great, especially within the active and loungewear category, as people are staying at home in the current environment. These cotton-rich items particularly provide both comfort and versatility.
Staple pieces and more are available at Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton Style House – Holiday Edition. There is a wide variety of styles for those who want to either stay cozy or dress up in cotton at home. From denim to dresses and sweaters, cotton will do what it does best, and that’s keeping consumers comfortable, yet stylish, for any occasion at any time of the year.
The Cotton Style House – Holiday Edition is available with exclusive content on Amazon. Through December 31, Amazon shoppers can purchase a variety of on-trend cotton apparel, gifting and home items curated by internationally-recognized celebrity stylist Irma Martínez that will fit for every holiday celebration.
The collection will bring people together through virtual programming with the goal to create connections across all communities and cultures. Among others, actress Debby Ryan shows us some of her favorite women’s contemporary pieces in the collection, while influencer Daniela Ramirez and her husband show us how to coordinate the family in comfort and style. Custom video content will also help us deck our homes with holiday cheer and find unique gifts– all in cotton. The collection will be available atAmazon.com/ShopCotton.
From Mara Hoffman to Levi’s, Calvin Klein, and STAUD, as well as other brands, each piece found in the Cotton Style House – Holiday Edition exhibits the versatility and comfort of cotton. Inspiration was drawn from a range of participating trendsetters including Debby Ryan, Daniela Ramirez, Ryan Clark, Gregory Dava, Coco Bassey, and Jill Wallace, who will be showcasing their favorite go-to cotton finds for the holidays.
ST. LOUIS — December 15, 2020 — Evolution St. Louis today announced it has hired Sevan Altan as its first general manager. Altan brings decades of experience in flatbed knitting, production, design, programming and business development. He will oversee all departments at the company’s high-tech knit manufacturing facility at 3830 Washington Blvd. in St. Louis, Missouri.
“Evolution St. Louis’ advanced technology offers great opportunities for designers to demonstrate their talents in fashion, technical textiles and more. With our STOLL flatbed knitting machines, a designer’s only limit is their imagination,” Altan said. “I have been in this industry for 28 years and I’m excited to be working for Evolution St. Louis. I’ve been impressed by St. Louis’ strong roots in fashion and apparel manufacturing and the team’s passion for the industry.”
Altan comes from Stoll America, where he managed operation and programming for flatbed knitting. His previous experience includes working in Istanbul for Abiteks Tekstil and Arslanli Örme as a Stoll programmer, designer, machine operator, production manager, knitwear designer and senior merchandiser.
“Sevan brings decades of knit manufacturing, apparel industry and Stoll experience to our company,” said Jon Lewis, co-founder of Evolution St. Louis. “His leadership will help support our continued growth at Evolution St. Louis.”
DALLAS, N.C. — December 15, 2020 — Through a partnership with Catawba Valley Community College’s Manufacturing Solutions Center (MSC) and Gaston College’s Textile Technology Center (TTC) comes the birth of the Manufacturing & Textile Innovation Network (MTIN).
The partnership of these two centers is a vision of Dr. Garrett Hinshaw, president of Catawba Valley Community College and Dr. John Hauser, president of Gaston College. Both leaders see the MTIN as an opportunity for their respective colleges to work together to develop a regional workforce focused on advanced materials and textile testing development.
“This partnership is a model demonstration of how regional community colleges can leverage their assets to create value within a region’s economy,” said CVCC President Dr. Garrett Hinshaw. “Catawba Valley Community College and Gaston College are creating additional partnership opportunities for the future that will strengthen the workforce and provide a solid foundation for regional economic development.”
The collaborative effort has developed a new two-year associate degree in Textile Technology with three specialty tracks in Textile Design, Textile Technician and Textile Manager. In addition to the current customized industry training programs, MTIN will be developing new industry certifications opportunities to serve business and industry.
The Textile Technology Advisory Board and the Board of Trustees at both colleges have approved the merger of the partnership.
“The partnership exemplifies the future of how community colleges, regions and communities work together to create success,” said Gaston College President Dr. John Hauser. “The value this partnership brings to the state of North Carolina and our regional businesses and industry is tremendous. This partnership also focuses on enhancing our workforce development programs to create opportunities for our students. We are committed to strengthening our region and this is one of the many opportunities for Gaston College and Catawba Valley Community College.”
Currently, CVCC’s Manufacturing Solutions Center provides technical assistance, product testing, training, business incubation and product research and development for commercial manufactures, including commercial manufacturers that specialize in textile and fabrics and non-textile related products.
The Textile Technology Center at Gaston College provides technical assistance, testing services, product prototyping and sample production and customized training for commercial manufacturers using textile and fiber in the manufacturing process.
By themselves, the Manufacturing Solutions Center and the Textile Technology Center each lead the way in providing solutions for manufacturing and textile processes and advancement, but by combining these resources, the Manufacturing and Textile Innovation Network allows both Centers to operate in coordination with each other to provide better support to their respective clients, expand services to other related industries and provide more opportunities for research and development.
“This is a great example of how these two centers and partnerships have been collaborating is in the early stages of COVID and the need for PPE equipment,” said Robin Phillips-Hauser, director, Business Development for the MTIN. “The MSC, TTC and Carolina Textile District were able to react quickly because CTD was able to provide a pattern for masks. Together, we were able to assist industries to quickly adjust their existing product to start producing masks. Many projects like this has been taking place over the years, by collaborating and bringing organizations together, we can share resources and grow even better together.”
The vision of the MTIN is to create an end-to-end matchless resource for diversified manufacturing applied research and development, textile testing, prototyping, business incubation and training. The MTIN will serve companies within the US and around the world.
“Building the MTIN network partnership is unlimited with opportunities for collaborations on projects, grant funding, referrals, and industry support,” said Sam Buff, vice president and general manager of the MSC and TTC. “Most importantly, we can work together to test and help produce quality products, training, job creation and retention.”
The operational partnership of the two Centers will benefit the Centers, industry customers, the textile and manufacturing industries, and our respective communities. The MTIN serves as another economic development resource for the region and state of North Carolina, and it plans to work with manufacturing and textile organizations on projects that will benefit businesses and industry and widen our testing and training services and collaborate on research and funding opportunities.
LOS ANGELES — December 15, 2020 — Barco® Uniforms announced today it has partnered with National Restaurant Association and ServSafe to donate and distribute 20,000 reusable face masks to restaurant operators across the United States.
While Barco has focused on designing and manufacturing premium Healthcare apparel for more than 90 years, it has expanded its product line to support essential workers and everyday heroes who do their part to keep their community safe, including those in the foodservice industry.
Operators who sign up for the ServSafe Dining Commitment demonstrate an ongoing commitment to protecting the health and safety of all guests and employees, in addition to following all federal, state and local guidance or regulations concerning cleaning and sanitation, personal hygiene, social distancing, and health monitoring.
For 30 years, ServSafe has been at the forefront of preparing restaurant and foodservice workers to deliver safe hospitality experiences for their guests, while also keeping themselves safe. ServSafe’s safety training and certification program is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association, the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises one million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees.
As restaurants continue the challenging process of reopening their dining rooms following closures due to COVID-19, protecting the health and safety of employees and guests is a priority. Most states require restaurant employees to wear a face covering; they also encourage employers to provide them with masks and other PPE.
“We honor and serve our everyday heroes who selflessly work on the front line each day to serve others,” said Barco president/CEO David Murphy. “As businesses begin to open back up and more than 15 million individuals employed in the restaurant industry return to work, everyone needs to do their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Masks are the most impactful way to do that, and it’s the most visible symbol of a restaurant’s commitment to keeping everyone safe and healthy.”
“Patron and employee safety have been our focus throughout the pandemic,” said Sherman Brown, executive vice president of Training and Certification for the National Restaurant Association. “Masks are the frontline of safety in our operations. This partnership will help ensure that restaurants that have made the ServSafe Dining Commitment have the needed resources to continue to welcome their communities to their tables.”
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — December 15, 2020 — Honeywell today announced a new reusable, three-dimensional knitted face cover with replaceable filters for everyday use.
The Honeywell Dual-Layer Face Cover incorporates Honeywell’s decades of expertise producing respiratory-protection products. The new face covering features an innovative 3D knit design that contours to the wearer’s face and is made with a washable material, making it easy to clean.
The face cover also has a hidden pocket that securely holds a Honeywell protective filter made with meltblown polypropylene, which is similar to the material used in the construction of N95s masks.1 The replaceable filter can block up to 97 percent of 3.0-micron-sized particles (BFE) and 0.1-micron-sized particles (PFE). 2
“Honeywell has vast experience in developing respiratory innovations for industrial workers and first responders, and we have leveraged that expertise to bring the Dual-Layer Face Cover to market,” said Praveen Reddy, president of Honeywell’s personal protective equipment business. “When social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, people want a protective face covering that is comfortable, easy-to-clean, stylish and manufactured by an industry-leading safety technology provider.”
The face covering’s base layer features a seamless, 3D knit construction using polyester, nylon and cotton and provides four-way stretch, minimizing gaps and enhancing comfort. It has a contoured design with adjustable ear straps, a flexible nose clip and ventilation holes for enhanced comfort, function and breathability for most adult face shapes and sizes.
In addition to the new reusable face covers, Honeywell also offers individual Safety Packs for people attending sporting events, traveling or visiting public places. The resealable, easy-to-open kits include a disposable face mask, gloves and wipes.
These new safety products are part of Honeywell’s strategic initiative to quickly develop and deploy solutions to help important sectors of the global economy recover and to help protect people as we return to public spaces. Honeywell also increased production of N95 face masks globally to help protect frontline healthcare workers, emergency responders and governments in responding to COVID-19.
To learn more and purchase the Honeywell Safety Packs and Dual-Layer Face Covers and replacement filters, please visit: ppe.honeywell.com.
1Note: Not FDA approved, not tested against COVID-19, and not intended for medical use.
2Filter material tested by external labs, as per testing requirements of ASTM F2100-19
